ternoon to do some shopping and shake off these
silly fears, when the telephone rang and a few moments later the maid
came in and told her there was a visitor downstairs. In an instant with
a rush of excitement Ethel knew it was Sally at last. Dwight, in his
easy, careless way, had mixed his dates and was bringing Sally a day
ahead! How stupid of him! "What have I on?"

"Did she come up?" she breathlessly asked.

"No, Mrs. Lanier, she's waiting below."

"Did she give her name?"

"Yes--Mrs. Carr."

"Oh." Ethel gasped and sank down in a heap. "All right, ask her to come
up," she said, in a tone of indifference.

When the maid had gone, she almost called her back. She did not want to
see Fanny Carr. Still--why not? Oh, let her come. And in the two or
three minutes that followed, Ethel passed from a mood of depression to
one of easy good-natured contempt. She was no longer afraid of Fanny,
for Ethel was getting Joe in hand. "And as soon as I do," she
reflected, "and my husband makes a name as an architect doing great big
things, what harm can Fanny do me?" As she thought of the brilliant
people who were so soon to be her friends, she looked upon Fanny Carr
and her like with no more hatred but only compassion. What stupid lives
they were leading.

And so when Fanny came into the room Ethel received her kindly.

But Fanny rather smiled at that. She looked a bit seedy as to her
dress, and yet she had a confident air. She took in the fine clothes of
her handsome young hostess, and Ethel's very gracious air and the almost
pitying tone of her voice--and then with a hard little smile, "My, what
a change," said Fanny softly. Ethel frowned at her tone. This might be
rather awkward.

"You mean this way of doing my hair?" she rejoined good-humouredly. "I
was hoping you would notice it."

"Does he?" asked Fanny.

"What do you mean? Oh, Joe never--"

"No. Dwight, my dear." The hard voice of her visitor had become
suddenly low and clear. Ethel looked at the woman then and slowly
reddened to her ears. And the consciousness of blushing made her all
the angrier.

"What on earth do you mean!" she demanded. Her voice too was very low,
and it trembled only a little; but there was a glint in her brown eyes.
Fanny gave a tense little laugh.

"Look here," she said. "Don't let's waste time. Joe may be coming
home, you know, and we must get this over first."

"We'll soon get it over." Ethel's voice was shaking ominously. Fanny